This book is a collection of critical reviews of the use of high-performance liquid chromatography in a very specialized area of research. It describes in detail modern methodology to separate nucleic acids, enzymes and a wide variety of biologically active proteins such as renin.

Oxidative stress is the result of an imbalance in pro-oxidant/antioxidant homeostasis that leads to the generation of toxic reactive oxygen species. Brain cells are continuously exposed to reactive oxygen species generated by oxidative metabolism, and in certain pathological conditions defense mechanisms against oxygen radicals may be weakened and/or overwhelmed. DNA is a potential target for oxidative damage, and genomic damage can contribute to neuropathogenesis. It is important therefore to identify tools for the quantitative analysis of DNA damage in models on neurological disorders. This book presents detailed information on various neurodegenerative disorders and their connection with oxidative stress. This information will provide clinicians with directions to treat these disorders with appropriate therapy and is also of vital importance for the drug industries for the design of new drugs for treatment of degenerative disorders.
* Contains the latest information on the subject of neurodegenerative disorders
* Reflects on various factors involved in degeneration and gives suggestions for how to tackle these problems

This book summarizes recent advances in understanding the mechanism underlying the selective cell death of dopamine neurons in Parkinson's disease. MPTP, endogenous neurotoxins, L-DOPA, and metal were proved to induce apoptosis and necrosis in neurons. The relationship of these causal factors to the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease was discussed to give us overviews on the role of neurotoxins in this degenerative disorder. This title further presents the intracellular signal transduction, and the related enzymes and other factors involved in dopaminergic neuronal death. Recent results on intracellular mechanism of neuroprotection are presented, suggesting that neuroprotection as a causal therapy of neurodegenerative disorders may become practical in near future. This book shows new neuroprotective agents, such as propargylamine derivatives and neurotrophins, and the intracellular mechanism to prevent the activation of apoptotic cascade in neurons. The authors of this book are active researchers participating in these subjects and the readers will find the knowledge and techniques for the study on neurotoxicity and neuroprotection, and the strategy for future research on these important subjects in clinical and basic neurology and neurosciences.

The book is dedicated to Professor Toshiharu Nagatsu, a pioneer in the search for pathogenic factors in Parkinson's disease. The book is reprinted from the journal 'Neurotoxicology and Teratology', Volume 24/5.

This text aims to evaluate the actual impact of high-performance capillary electrophoresis on analytical biotechnology and environmental analysis. The first part of the book presents a survey of present innovations in instrument design and different methods of pre-concentration techniques in order to obtain increased separations at higher sensitivities. The second part contains articles on applications of HPCE to protein and peptide analysis. In the third part, applications of HPCE in the investigation of drug abuse and drug interactions are presented. The last two parts of the book deal with the use of HPCE at low-UV wavelengths and negative-UV absorption. The book should be of interest to those working in HPCE research and applications.

Neuroregulation is a challenging and rapidly developing field that holds the key to many currently intractable medical conditions from nervous and mental diseases to stress-related disorders. Advances in Neuroregulation mirrors the broad scope of research in this area with topics ranging from new concepts on the immune system and on the action of antidepressants to the evolution and development of the autonomic nervous system. In addition, the latest research findings are presented for behavioural disorders and medical conditions such as ParkinsonaEURO (TM)s disease, AlzheimeraEURO (TM)s disease, epilepsy and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Another area of emphasis is the body's responses to stress and the effect of neuroactive agents in the treatment of stress-related conditions. Many chapters are devoted to the progress being made at the cellular and molecular level, including areas such as: - the conditions for culture of different types of neural cells - conformational diseases and the protein folding problem - vasoactive intestinal polypeptide release from pancreatic islets - the effect of melatonin and corticosterone on macrophages Here, in a book that expands the frontiers of neuroscience, researchers into neuroregulation at the molecular and cellular levels as well as those working at the clinical and systemic levels will find important results relating to their field.